There have always been enough minivans in the Ford lineup. Judge for yourself: "C-Max" is an excellent "compact van" that can accommodate the "average family" and all that is needed; or "S-Max" - a minivan for a "big family", with plenty of space for luggage and "great opportunities." But, the “marketers” decided that it would not hurt to “fill the gap between them” - by creating a compact, but seven-seater car (and this is not so simple - the possibilities of transforming the interior, in this case, should be “outstanding”).
And, it should be noted, the engineers of "Ford" did an excellent job with the task - the result of their work was demonstrated in 2009 (in Frankfurt) under the name "Grand C-Max" - which, in short, is an elongated "C-Max" (the second generation) with a seven-seater saloon.
Stylish "compact minivan" - yes, yes, that's right! Not always a car of this class can be called "stylish", but the Ford Grand C-Max is exactly that. Well, after the restyling (carried out by 2015), it became even better (in addition, it received a number of improvements in terms of equipment and technology). Its appearance clearly shows the current "kinetic" design (recognizable from many other cars of this brand) - one glance at this compact van is enough to understand what brand of car is in front of you.
Smooth lines, soft contours, perfectly tailored body - all this is present in the Ford Grand C-Max, making it a kind of "stranger among its own" (in the subclass of compact minivans). This quality makes the "American European" unique and attractive.
The front part has a beautiful and sophisticated optics, between which there is an "Aston-Martin" false radiator grille. The hood is typical for minivans - it does not protrude too much forward, but, at the same time, it is not too chopped off. The stern of the Grand C-Max is made in the style of “a la S-Max” - as if they copied the rear part of the “big brother”, reduced it and “stuck” it here - a simple and successful solution. Despite the “typical minivan profile”, the “Grand C-Max” exudes a certain “sportiness” - thanks to the inflated wheel arches and a lot of “aerodynamic elements” successfully integrated into the body design ... + large wheels (the dimensions of which vary from 16 to 18 inches , depending on the configuration).
Based on all of the above, what can you say about the appearance? Well, the fact that the Ford Grand C-Max is a perfectly tailored car, with an attractive and modern design and successful exterior solutions, thanks to which this "American" will be "in the subject" as in an urban environment (in heavy traffic or in the parking lot in front of the office ), and on a suburban highway or in the courtyard of your own house.
The dimensions of this car are "universal" (it is large enough to provide capacity and compact enough so that it is not cramped in the city): length - 4519 mm (with a wheelbase of 2788 mm), width - 1828 mm, and height - 1694 mm. Its ground clearance is not great, but it is acceptable for this class of cars ~ 140 mm.
It's time to move from the exterior to the interior of the compact minivan "Grand C-Max". To match the exterior, the interior is embodied in the same “kinetic” design, which is very, well, just very good for the Grand. Quite a large and multifunctional steering wheel fits perfectly into the hands, and the control keys located on it make the driver's life noticeably easier. The dashboard of the Ford Grand C-Max is very good, the design is cool and thoughtful, the information is read from it in one fell swoop (and nothing prevents it). Pleasant, unobtrusive backlighting is pleasing to the eye, both at night and during the day.
Getting inside this Ford for the first time, only one thing immediately alarms - this is a very massive front panel, which, at first, seems to put a little pressure on the front riders (but you can get used to it). The central console of the "Grand C-Max" is made in the form of "three floors" (after restyling it became more ergonomic - having acquired a large touch screen): at the very top there is, as already noted, a large touch screen (on which it is possible to display a lot of useful and necessary information that will always be before your eyes); on the “middle floor” there is “music”; Well, the lower "basement floor" is a haven for the air conditioning control buttons.
Most importantly, the Ford Grand C-Max boasts a large and comfortable interior, which is endowed with rich opportunities for transformation. The front seats have a pronounced profile on the sides - due to which they tenaciously hold the driver and front passenger. And the offered choice of adjustments allows you to adjust the "workplace" individually for yourself. The middle sofa easily accommodates three adult riders (without too much cramped space), but still the space here is not so much like in the S-Max (of course, there is a separate armchair for each). Unlike “just C-Max”, “Grand C-Max” also has a “gallery” - capable of accommodating two (adults can accommodate on it, but only children will be free (but, as they say in such cases, “ it is better to go badly than to go well ").
Well, now about the most important thing that attracts in this compact van - the possibility of transformation.
Here, depending on the situation, the salon can be made for seven, five, six or two. At the same time, the size of the luggage compartment will also vary, the volume of which in the "seven-seat layout" is frankly negligible - 65 liters, but it can be "increased" as needed, sacrificing passenger seats - up to a maximum of 1867 liters of volume. Loading and unloading is greatly facilitated by a perfectly flat floor (which is obtained by folding the seats) and a fairly low loading height.
Specifications. A wide range of gasoline and diesel power units is offered for "Grand Es-Max":
- The former include a 1.6-liter four-cylinder "aspirated" (delivering 125 horsepower and 159 Nm of peak thrust) and turbocharged "triplets" and "fours" with a volume of 1.0-1.5 liters, producing 100-182 "mares" and 170-240 Nm of torque ...
- Among the latter are in-line "turbo-fours" of 1.5-2.0 liters with Common Rail injection, the performance of which has 95-170 "stallions" and 215-400 Nm of available recoil.
In the arsenal of transmissions: 5- or 6-speed "manual" gearbox, 6-band "robot" Power Shift or 6-band "automatic" - directing the entire power reserve to the wheels of the front axle.
The compact MPV "Grand C-Max" is built on an elongated front-wheel drive platform "Ford Global C" with an independent suspension of the MacPherson type in front, mounted on a stretcher, and a proprietary rear multi-link. The car is equipped with disc brakes on all wheels (ventilated at the front) with ABS and EBD and a rack and pinion steering system, supplemented by an electric power steering.
Prices. In 2017, the Ford Grand C-Max is not officially presented on the Russian market, and in the secondary market this model is offered at a price of 550 thousand rubles and above (depending on the year of manufacture, condition and equipment level). In Germany, this car is offered at a price of € 16,990 (~ 1 million 50 thousand rubles at the exchange rate at the beginning of 2017).
